Viviane
The next day, after drinking coffee all together, João Pedro went to the company and Fabiano went to leave his parents at the airport, after a long farewell to them and Sarinha. My daughter still couldn't understand much, but Marta and Rodolfo's tearful tone made her sad, even though she didn't realize that her grandparents would spend several days apart. My parents were on the property, in the house they had lived in for so many years because they had come for their granddaughter's birthday and soon Sarah was laughing, playing with my mother on the lawn in the garden.
I took advantage of the afternoon to unwrap the gifts that had arrived during the previous week and I hadn't opened yet. Together with my mother and Sarinha, we spent a very pleasant afternoon, between laughs and many jokes. My father was a little more reserved, but the granddaughter could make him look like a fool, doing all her wishes.
Seeing that scene in the morning and now this moment in the afternoon, made me sure of everyone's love for my daughter and that, even if the biological father did not even know of her existence, precisely because she did not even desire it, she was loved.
At night, while João Pedro was getting ready for bed, I was with Sarah in my arms, trying to lullaby her to sleep, but she was quite agitated and sly.
" It even seems that he is missing my parents " João Pedro spoke in a joking tone when he left the bathroom.
"I don't think so. They left this morning! It is not possible that she is already in all this lack. ''
"But every day, when my father comes home from the company, they stay with Sarinha until Isabela goes to get her ready for bed. That could be it. ''
" Will it be? "''
"Remember that time they went to an event on a Saturday afternoon? Sarah was all sly and we almost couldn't get her to sleep. Imagine now, that she's older. ''
I kept thinking about it as I shook Sarinha in my arms and sang a children's song softly to calm down. If that were the case, it would be quite complicated, since my in-laws would spend around fifteen days in another country.
Two hours later, João Pedro and I were on a video call with his parents. That was it, Sarah just didn't sleep, despite being visibly tired and sleepy. After much laughter and banter, she finally closed her eyes and fell asleep.
"Amazing how children can surprise us," said Mr. Rodolfo, smiling.
"Don't get too full of yourself, Dad! I think Sarinha was missing mommy," joked João Pedro.
"I'm going to put my daughter in her room while you debate this important subject..." I spoke as I left carefully with Sarinha in my arms.
They continued on the video call and I went into the hallway, where I met Isabela, who was already coming towards me, to help me.
"It looks like you're going to have to make a video call every day so this girl can sleep now" Isabela spoke softly, while I arranged my daughter better in her crib and she checked the baby monitor.
"I believe it was just today. Soon she goes to sleep peacefully, even without the presence of Marta and Mr. Rodolfo ''
But I was very much mistaken when I underestimated my little one's ability to feel the absence of her paternal grandparents.
Every night, at the time she used to be with Marta and Rodolfo, Sarah would start her campaign to drive me crazy and only calm down when we made the video call to New York. It was impressive, as she hadn't slept at all before that.
Even with the presence of my parents pampering her granddaughter, playing and attending to even her small whims, Sarinha still made a point of her cunning way of getting our attention, of seeing her other grandparents.
It was up to us just to avoid wear and tear and make the video call so awaited by the little one, in which she had a lot of fun because Mr. Rodolfo made all kinds of jokes to make her smile.
"Where are the most beautiful teeth in the whole world? ''
"Daddy, you don't have to do that childish voice. You are ridiculous, I have already said " João Pedro implied to his father.
"Grandpa... Sarinha babbled, clapping, all excited.
" Sarinha likes it, it's what matters " Mr. Rodolfo spoke, all convinced with the joy of his granddaughter.
" I arrived! "We heard a voice speak, as if coming from another room in the apartment my in-laws were in.
Soon the image of João Felipe appeared on the screen and I felt myself freezing instantly because I was not prepared for that unexpected "encounter".
"Good evening, João Felipe I hope you're okay" João Pedro spoke in the mocking way that was so characteristic of him.
I managed to get out of the trance I had entered and, after shaking my head as if to clear my thoughts, I realized that not only had I been taken by surprise and that, unlike JP, I had not yet been able to recover, since even before the words of my brother, João Felipe was still paralyzed on the other side of the screen.
"Dear, you arrived early today" Marta spoke in greeting to her eldest son, in her soft, calm tone of voice. However, I could see that she looked restless.
" Who is this child? " These were the surprising words spoken by Felipe.
I realized then that he was staring blankly at my daughter Sarah, her eyebrow arched as if he were analyzing something that intrigued him. But as I analyzed, he seemed delighted with what he saw, and it made me very apprehensive.
"Is this a way of talking to your niece, my son?" rebuked Mr. Rodolfo.
" Niece?" he asked, only then taking his eyes off Sarah and looking questioningly at her parents and then, towards João Pedro, as if she could not understand what such a word meant. "But how? ''
"My son, you're embarrassing us all," Marta spoke with a small laugh accompanied by a discreet screech. " Sarah Mendes de Albuquerque, his niece, João Felipe. Daughter of her brothers João Pedro and Viviane. ''
That information seemed to catch João Felipe totally by surprise, which led me to think that he did not seem to know about Sarah's existence, which would be quite strange.
"Then you got married and.... did they even have a daughter? " João Felipe spoke in a tone of voice that was rising as he let go of his words.
We all looked at each other, unable to understand how he wouldn't know such important information about his own family.
"Mom... Sarinha interrupted the disturbing moment and I took the opportunity to excuse myself and leave, justifying that I needed to put my daughter to sleep.
Marta and Rodolfo said goodbye to us affectionately, despite the tense atmosphere installed and the expression on Felipe's face, who seemed to be waiting for an explanation.
Well, I wouldn't be the one to explain anything to him. I preferred to take refuge in Sarinha's room, only leaving when she was already sleeping peacefully in her crib.